Scotland’s life sciences sector is smashing the targets set for it by the Industry Leadership Group, surpassing an £8bn contribution to the Scottish economy a full year ahead of schedule. With a new, ambitious target now set for 2035, the industry requires strategic action to solidify our position as a global leader in this high growth industry

 This will not be easy in the face of difficult economic headwinds: stubborn inflation, expected rises in global oil and gas prices, higher cost of living for employees. Pair this with sectoral specific issues such as shortages of skilled labour, adequate infrastructure and funding, and the outlook is challenging to say the least.

Recent ONS reports for Scotland’s construction sector show there was a slight increase in construction output for new work. Despite this resilience in the sector, there are still issues which lie in the significant lack of skills within the industry and the difficulty that young people face in accessing jobs.